JOE HERMITT, The Patriot-NewsPenn State quarterback Rob Bolden, shown here after suffering a concussion against Minnesota, wants out of State College. After he was ignored by Joe Paterno during the second half of the season, who could blame him?

So it turns out that big Penn State football rumor that swept through the Nittany Lions' fan base for the month of December was sorta half-right.

Only its the one young player many pegged back in early September as the primary building block for Penn State football.

Rob Bolden, the true freshman quarterback who began the year as the Lions' starter, will transfer out of the program, his father, Robert Bolden, told The Patriot-News' David Jones on Sunday.

Bolden suffered a concussion during a mid-season game at Minnesota, was replaced by redshirt sophomore backup Matt McGloin, and, save for a few series against Northwestern, never reclaimed his starting job. For the year, Bolden completed 58 percent of his passes for 1,360 yards. McGloin had more touchdowns (14) and yards (1,548) but numbers don't tell the whole story.

Even when McGloin tried to give Bolden the job back -- and I'm talking about those two final quarters at Ohio State, the first three quarters against Michigan State and the sum of his 60 minutes against Florida last Saturday -- Paterno wouldn't have it.

Penn State's 84-year-old coach clearly had made his choice, regardless of the overwhelming evidence being assembled for the case against McGloin.

Paterno tried to act a bit sheepish in his day-after news conference Sunday morning, mentioning that, okay, maybe he could have turned to Bolden at some point against Florida. But it was too late. Bolden's father, who was at the bowl game, had had enough. He was seething immediately following the game -- a player's parent told me this after the older Bolden spoke with him -- and a restless night's sleep did nothing to brighten his mood.

Bolden's father told Jones: "It wasn't a two-way street, I guess. We're not happy about that.'' He added that the unhappiness in the Bolden camp had been building for several weeks, saying, "Clearly, he should have played. He had just as much right to be playing in that game as anybody. The bowl game just pushed it over the top.''

And I agree with Robert Bolden. Joe Paterno botched his quarterback situation. He stayed with player favorite McGloin too long. He should have played Bolden in the second half against Michigan State and against Florida, after McGloin's third interception late in the third quarter.

The Ohio State defense solved the McGloin riddle in the second half in Columbus and, obviously, Michigan State's defensive coaches and Florida's Urban Meyer took notes.

Shortly before the season ended, I wrote a column saying McGloin was the MVP of the season. And he really was. He was the reason Penn State made it to a bowl game with some clutch play against a few not-so-clutch (Minnesota, Michigan, Northwestern) defenses.

But long term, McGloin doesn't have Bolden's physical tools. He lacks the arm to fit the ball into tight spaces. Bolden has that kind of arm. He's raw. What true freshman isn't? You live with the rough patches when you have a talent like that under center.

And after Ohio State returned a pair of McGloin interceptions for touchdowns in the second half of a come-from-behind 38-14 win, McGloin should have been on a short leash, just like Bolden was in the Northwestern game.

Instead, Joe Paterno grew stubborn. He allowed McGloin to go the distance against Michigan State in a deceptive 28-22 loss. In the first three quarters when it mattered, McGloin, struggling with the State College wind in late November, couldn't put PSU in the end zone as the Spartans built a 21-3 lead.

And when Florida began locking in McGloin's tendencies and throws after a hot start (6 of 8, 57 yards and a TD), Paterno never considered Bolden.

I'm talking about nine quarters of play that made up Robert Bolden's mind -- the last two against Ohio State, the first three against MSU and all four last Saturday. McGloin's numbers during that stretch: 31 of 78, 368 yards, seven interceptions and just one touchdown pass.

What was Joe Paterno thinking late last Saturday afternoon?

So Rob Bolden's father saw the Penn State future. And he realized his son was likely not going to be a part of it. Paterno is usually reluctant to tinker with his quarterback depth chart.

Since I've been covering the team (2002), Paterno stayed with Zach Mills despite having a more dangerous double-threat, Michael Robinson, in reserve. He would not put pull Anthony Morelli in favor of another double-threat who would become two-time first-team All-Big Ten pick, Daryll Clark.

And Clark was never going to relinquish his job to Pat Devlin after his terrific 2008 season. Devlin wisely bailed for Delaware and may have an NFL future.

Bolden is smart to do the same thing. He is more talented than McGloin but not guaranteed of any playing time. The Outback Bowl was proof.

Paterno received a lot of praise for picking Bolden over McGloin and another future transfer-ee, Kevin Newsome, in August.

He deserves the blame for discouraging his most talented quarterback into transferring.

Bolden is right to look for another school that will appreciate him.

And moving forward, with Newsome and Bolden leaving, you wonder how many more blue-chip QB recruits Paterno will be able to lure to State College.

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